


Arm ourselves with the wrongs we've done

by lehnsherry



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Awkward Flirting, Badass Hux, Banter, Canon Rewrite, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fix-It, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Scheming, Sexual Content, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:02:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21993391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lehnsherry/pseuds/lehnsherry
Summary: As the brandy spread its warmth in Hux's stomach, an insane idea began to form. A plot, a dangerous game ofseduction.Ren was pretty, and if Hux wasn't completely mistaken, he was attracted to Hux as well. People already thought Hux wasn't above climbing up someone's thigh to get where he wanted to be. They all probably already thought Hux was sleeping with Ren. So… would there be any harm in trying to live up to his reputation?/A TRoS rewrite, in which Hux is motivated by foolhardy infatuation rather than pettiness, and his ill-advised hard-on for Kylo Ren might just end up saving a lot of lives, including Kylo's and his own.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 47
Kudos: 272





	1. A Terrible Idea

**Author's Note:**

> After seeing TRoS for the third time, I finally feel like I can convincingly write an alternate timeline where Hux and Kylo make some different decisions and things go a little differently - hopefully in good ways. This will probably end up being around ten chapters, and starts quite some time before the events of the movie.
> 
> Title from Go to War by Nothing More.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! <3

Armitage Hux's life had been continuously, uncontrollably hurtling downhill ever since the destruction of his Starkiller base, or possibly since joining the First Order. Or most likely, since his birth. In hindsight, most - if not all - of his recent troubles could be blamed on two things: his endless ambition and his stupid, _moronic_ affection for Kylo Ren.

Starkiller base was an ambition thing; one of the grandest projects the Order had ever undertaken, the apple of Hux's eye, his greatest accomplishment, his way into Snoke's good graces and a means with which to grip the galaxy in his hand and squeeze… and due to a series of miscalculations by him and by others, it failed miserably. Blown to smithereens by the pesky, infuriating Resistance, Hux's life's work burnt to nothing. 

Hux was able to make some amends by retrieving Ren and bringing him back to Snoke, but after the destruction of his beautiful weapon, his position just never became the same again.

Hux was allowed to keep his rank as General, but it was public information that he'd fallen out of favour with both the Supreme Leader and his apprentice. Hux was a tough little bastard, though, and he clung to his position with teeth and nails, keeping his head held high through every humiliation and torment he was put through.

When Ren went completely crazy and teamed up with the scavenger girl from Jakku and destroyed Snoke, subsequently becoming Supreme Leader, Hux survived that too. He tried to keep to strategizing, making himself as useful and as invisible as possible, and survived. If he had to subject himself to being thrown around and publicly humiliated by Ren to pay for it, he would. He took it as gracefully as he could and just got up every time, secretly proud of his resilience. 

He was aware none of the other generals much liked him, resenting his young age and his ambition and the fact that once, he had been Snoke's favourite. There were whispers that he must have done something disgusting and decidedly sexual to gain that favour. It wasn't true, but he couldn't very well attempt to rebuke the rumours, lest he only give them more credibility. Similarly, every subtle attempt he made at reconciliation with Ren caused resentful looks and whispers behind his back. _'Look at the brat groveling, doubtless he's trying to worm his way into the Supreme Leader's bed as well as his good graces.'_

A few months earlier Hux could've just laughed in their faces, or at least taken private comfort in his belief that behind his ridiculous mask, Ren must have been a hideous monster who Hux would never want to touch, no matter what doors it might open for him. His life must have been cursed, however, because Ren stopped wearing the mask, and suddenly Hux was forced to admit that no, Ren wasn't hideous at all.

In a customary childish fit of rage, Ren had destroyed his helmet, so now there was no hope of him going back to wearing it. No, now his face was visible all the time, which had unforeseen effects both on the general populace and, to his embarrassment, on Hux as well. 

"He looks… more ordinary than I had imagined", Hux heard a captain whisper to another in a side corridor after Ren's first public appearance as their leader.

"True", the younger of the two women answered, voice conspiratorially lowered. "Stars, he's actually quite handsome. I never would've guessed!"

Hux hated it with every fibre of his being, but he had to agree. Ren had big, dark eyes and ridiculously soft-looking hair. His features were somehow simultaneously too big and ungainly, and unfairly charming. Even when he was screaming at someone or choking people with the Force, his face red with rage, he looked much more handsome than he had any right to.

Hux should have just ignored his budding attraction, repressed it like he'd always been taught to do, and got on with his life. He was starting to think the universe really had it out for him, however, since suddenly Ren seemed to be _everywhere._

He took to coming to Hux for help with his new duties as the Supreme Leader, since some things just couldn't be delegated to his generals or his knights, and Ren himself had no idea whatsoever how to run an organisation such as theirs. He seemed to think it was alright to constantly take up Hux's precious free time, and Hux couldn't very well tell him no.

He liked to tell himself it was mainly out of fear and an instinct for self-preservation, but it wasn't the whole truth.

 _"Come on",_ Ren would say, his wide lips pursing into a childish pout, utterly and horribly kissable, _"I need to decide which star destroyers to send to scout our borders and you have a better grasp on which of our generals are the most trustworthy. I could just choke you until you agree to help, but we both know I don't even need to. You're too proud to let me make bad decisions while you're_ right here _and could easily fix them."_

And Hux would hem and haw and pour himself a drink and eventually sit down to oblige Ren, pretending not to see his smug smile. He would also do his best not to read into the look Ren had on his face when Hux hung his coats on a chair and rolled his shirtsleeves to his elbows. There were no dreamy looks as he sipped his drink with a blissful sigh, and there _definitely_ were no appreciative glances at Hux's arse as he leaned over to reach for a datapad charger, no sir.

Hux was too weak to resist the pouting and the bizarrely easy companionship that eventually began to grow between them, and so the long nights spent together in Hux's quarters, poring over plans and schemes became routine.

Seeing Ren out or his mask in such intimate quarters so often was… challenging, to say the least, and it definitely didn't help Hux get over his little crush. Ren was a difficult student, proud and volatile and mean, but he looked so pretty in the dim glow of their data pads. No helmet, relaxed dress, hair messy and soft… He was quite perfect and Hux would've very much liked for him to sweep their work aside and lay Hux out on the table in front of him instead.

Hux came to this realisation properly late one evening, nursing three fingers of brandy in a big glass, curled up under a blanket on his couch in his quarters. Ren was horrible in every way, he was the most annoying person Hux had ever had the displeasure of knowing, he was the most incompetent leader any military organisation had ever seen… and Hux found him irresistibly attractive.

That had been a fact for a long time now, but Hux hadn't truly thought he'd end up wanting Ren. Dreaming about his hands on his skin… stars. It was foolish but he couldn't help it.

Ren was like a child, brutish and immature and frightening when he was truly angry, but Hux still wanted to take him to bed. He wanted to see that temper taken out on his body instead of on their ships and staff. 

Hux cursed and knocked back his brandy, not minding how it burned his throat on its way down. He allowed himself another generous glass of the stuff, lamenting his unfortunate situation.

As the brandy spread its warmth in his stomach, an insane idea began to form. A plot, a dangerous game of _seduction._

Ren was pretty, and if Hux wasn't completely mistaken, he was attracted to Hux as well. People already thought Hux wasn't above climbing up someone's thigh to get where he wanted to be. They all probably already thought Hux was sleeping with Ren. So… 

Would there be any harm in trying to live up to his reputation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading the first chapter! <3 Please let me know what you think! I'm a bit of a slow writer but I'll try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible.


	2. The First Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hux puts his plans into action!

Waking up the next morning with a truly cruel headache, Hux regretted every decision he'd made in his life leading up to that point. When he was younger he could put away quite a bit of alcohol trying to impress other cadets or drown his sorrows and still rise bright and early the next day, but those days were clearly long over.

Hux dragged himself out of bed, head spinning, and made for the bathroom. He wasn't feeling quite undignified enough to throw up, and instead slipped into the refresher for a quick sonic shower. He missed his old quarters on the Finalizer, where he'd had a large personal shower with real water that actually made him feel properly clean.

He knew there were more luxurious quarters abroad the Steadfast, but they belonged to the official commander, Allegiant General Enric Pryde. On the Finalizer Hux had been a half of the duo of commanders, and awarded the according luxuries. The Steadfast was rather a step down: now he was the third highest official, behind Ren and Pryde and barely above the other generals on the Supreme Council. Pryde loved adding insult to the injury, emphasizing how he still saw Hux as a little boy, miles below himself.

Hux turned the shower off with more vigour than was strictly needed, and if he imagined he was wringing Pryde's neck instead, well, no one had to know. 

He stepped out and began brushing his teeth, but got distracted as he heard two chimes in quick succession from his bedroom. Toothbrush dangling absentmindedly from the corner of his mouth, he located his data pad, half buried under the pillows and crumpled sheets on his bed. He picked it up and walked back into the bathroom, still brushing and now scrolling through the endless mass of reports and requests he really should have tackled yesterday instead of getting drunk and devising ridiculous schemes.

There were two messages from Ren at the top, marked urgent and just received. Hux sighed and opened the conversation. It was their direct, personal channel, and catching a glimpse of an earlier conversation - Ren letting him know he'd be early for their customary strategy meeting - made Hux fight a smile. He was quite sure no-one else spent quite as much time advising Ren as he did.

No wonder people thought he was a brown-noser, Hux thought to himself, lips quirking, as he scrolled to the new messages. 

**» Supreme Leader Kylo Ren:** _hux whre the fuck are you_  
**» Supreme Leader Kylo Ren:** _need to talk abt fleet placements_

Hux scoffed, annoyed at Ren's informal manner. He could practically see Ren's dramatic eye roll at having to concern himself with such mundane things, even though it was his job now. Gods forbid the Supreme Leader actually have to make decisions that affected the whole Order and the galaxy.

Calculating the time he needed to dress, Hux started a message explaining it would take him approximately twenty minutes to reach the bridge, but then a terrible, daring idea struck him. Hadn't he decided to try and seduce Ren? Surely his daring and bravery weren't all liqueur and empty threats. What better time was there to test the waters than this?

He drew a deep breath and deleted the half-finished message, starting another.

 **» General Hux:** _I'm in my quarters. Please stop by at your convenience, Supreme Leader._

Ren's reply came gratifyingly swiftly, though it was disappointingly brief.

 **» Supreme Leader Kylo Ren:** _fine_

Hux had hoped for an estimate for how long Ren would take, but this would have to do. He rushed to rinse out his mouth and took a quick glance at the mirror. There were shadows under his eyes and he looked a little pale, but on such short notice there wasn't much he could do. His appearance and the headache Ren would undoubtedly feel floating around him could just serve as a plausible reason for him to still be in his quarters. He'd just say he felt sick today.

Hux fished out a lip balm from behind his hair products, applying a layer on his lips. The stuff was unscented but carried a faint red hue, just enough to make his lips look fuller and more inviting. He considered the hair products next, but decided against them. He wanted Ren to see him as he might be after a tumble in the sheets; rumpled and soft. That in mind, he mussed his hair up even more with his hands, ending up with messy, floppy locks falling softly over his forehead. Great. He felt a little like a carnivorous plant of some sort, luring his prey in by looking pretty and nonthreatening.

The next step was to step out of the worn pajama pants he'd worn to bed. He shucked them down the laundry chute and slipped his hands into the sleeves of his finest dressing gown. It was soft, shiny black silk with a deep midnight blue lining, and had cost more than Hux could say without blushing guiltily.

He tied the robe closed as he moved into the living area and settled on the sofa, doing his best to arrange his limbs artfully. He was well aware his legs were one of his more attractive qualities, and he gathered them into a sprawl he hoped would look both casual and elegant.

It was ridiculously obvious what he was trying to do here, and he could only guess how Ren might react. Whether he'd take the bait and look, maybe even touch like Hux wanted him to, or whether he'd make Hux pay for getting insolent and assuming things about Ren that weren't true. This was a gamble, but Hux was ready to bet quite a lot.

He picked up his data pad and logged in a notice he'd be taking a half-day off. If wasn't strictly mandated that the General do a shift on the bridge every day, but so far Hux always had if he wasn't in the middle of something more pressing. Truthfully, he loved seeing his crew work together like the well-oiled machine they were, loved seeing his every command obeyed and the courses taken that he'd planned. Leaving the officers to lead amongst themselves and staying in for no reason other than personal matters felt self-indulgent. Indecent, almost, like they'd all somehow know what he was doing.

The thoughts whirred loudly around in his head until he heard a knock at his door. His datapad pinged to let him know the camera outside his door had identified the knocker as _Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader._

Hux pressed his thumb on the screen and the pad read the print, and he heard the door slide open. Ren strode in, starting to say something, but then he turned, saw Hux and fell silent.

Hux allowed himself a once-over of Ren, from his dirty boots to his big arms and finally up to his face and the rather impressive blush rising to those freckled cheeks.

"What are you doing", Ren croaked, his own gaze glued to Hux's legs.

"Taking the morning off, Supreme Leader."

"Why. Get dressed, at least, for fuck's sake." The gruff words came out like an order, and Hux allowed himself a moment of insolence.

"I'm not feeling well. I only just woke up and wasn't feeling up to a shift… but of course I could never say no to a request from you."

Ren flushed even more, his eyes traveling to the sliver of Hux's chest peeking from the neck of the robe, until he finally dragged his eyes away and looked at Hux properly. He wore a particular look that was a mix of distress, anger and longing, and despite himself, Hux found it terribly charming.

"Right", Ren stammered. "I can feel your headache- we should just get right down to business. To the- placements. Fleet. Yes." Ren shifted on his feet, looking at Hux's hair, then at the floor, then at the opposite wall.

"Right", Hux chuckled, trying to keep his lips from twisting into a self-satisfied smirk. "Please sit down and I'll gladly help you with anything."

Ren made a tiny snorting sound, slightly hysterical, and threw himself into the armchair next to the couch. He pulled a datapad from somewhere inside his cloak and pulled up a map of the galaxy. The areas wholly in their control were coloured red, and the areas with conflict and shifting control were a pale purple. For a moment, Hux forgot all about his plans for seduction; it felt good to see how small the purple areas had grown, how far their territories reached and how much of the galaxy was in their control. They'd had too many setbacks along the way but things were looking good again, and Hux longed to extend their reach even further, make even the unknown regions known and bring order to them. Harvest all the resources there, build more ships, perhaps one day a new and improved star-killing weapon… 

Ren zoomed in on the Core worlds, and the graphic helpfully displayed the current placements of their star destroyers and other ships stationed there, as well as occupational forces on the planets.

"Like we discussed, our hold on Coruscant isn't strong enough", Ren said. "We can't go scare them into line because we need to be at the front lines. So."

"We send a star destroyer with a trustworthy general to control the situation", Hux continued. This much they'd agreed on previously. "The problem is who you want to choose."

"Yeah", Ren sighed, looking amusingly angry at having to ponder such things. Doubtless he thought this was all insignificant and beneath him. 

"No I don't", Ren huffed, though there was a rueful smile tugging at a corner of his mouth.

"Get out of my head, please", Hux snapped, and Ren lifted his hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry, sorry. You thought it very loudly."

Hux glared at him and thought very forcefully of Hutts doing indecent things to each other until Ren yelped and seemed to withdraw properly, looking slightly green.

"Back to the subject at hand", Hux said primly. "How about Domaric Quinn?" 

"Incompetent", Ren dismissed the man and Hux couldn't disagree. "Bellava Parnadee?" 

"No", Hux said, "Anyone but her, please. She's the only sensible person on this ship, and I'd hate to lose her."

He made his tone half-sarcastic, but truth was he really did like Parnadee. Her enthusiasm for recruitment and the Stormtrooper program in general reminded him of Phasma. Ren huffed but nodded.

"Are you going to offer to go?" 

Hux turned to look at him so quickly that a crick in his neck protested painfully. He hadn't expected -

"I would rather not", he said carefully after a moment's consideration. There were several reasons. He didn't fancy life in a large city on a densely-populated planet: too many parties, too many political gatherings, too many civilians - too many ordinary people with a grudge against the Starkiller, the man who'd ordered the destruction of five planets. It wasn't that he feared assassination very much - it was just that he was happy right here. Away from the masses, in a controlled environment, where his work had meaning and he could influence the actions of the Order as a whole.

"Eager to stay?" Ren asked quietly.

"Yes. If you'll let me, Supreme Leader, I'd prefer to remain here." Next to you, wearing a scrap of silk and not much else, he didn't say, but thought Ren must've caught that too.

"Fine", Ren coughed. "Who, then?"

"It can't be Pryde either", Hux mused. He'd have loved nothing more than to send the bastard away, but away from Ren's control, the man might raise enough support to be a threat, and that couldn't be allowed to happen. Pryde was old school and well-respected, long years of service behind him, lots of powerful friends. He was already better liked than either Hux or Ren wanted him to be, and it wasn't safe to let him too far out of sight. Plus the Steadfast had been under his control for years, and sending him away would raise uncomfortable questions.

"No", Ren agreed, "though I'd like to know he was as far away from me as possible."

Hux flashed him a genuine smile, surprised about such an open display of kindred spirit.

"What about General Jarif?" Hux asked. "She's as good of a politician as she is a commander, and I think she'll agree to report straight to you, instead of… other options." Those other options being Pryde, who as Allegiant General should've been notified of pretty much anything any of the others did.

Ren nodded, mulling it over. "She has a ship, and I guess the Expansion region can do without the Conqueror for the time being if we work the others there a bit harder."

"Shouldn't be a problem", Hux agreed readily. "What of the two Knights of Ren with her?" 

"I'm calling them in anyway", Ren said. "There's a… distortion in the Force that I need to examine with all of my Knights."

"Jarif won't like it, but it is what it is. She’ll do what is asked of her."

Ren nodded, and that was that.

"I'll get started on the paperwork if you announce our- your decision to the Council in tonight's meeting and contact Jarif and the Knights?" Hux proposed, and Ren accepted easily enough. Hux sighed in relief at having finally reached a satisfactory conclusion. His headache was getting worse, and he slouched further on the couch, his robe slipping to reveal his pale thigh. Ren's eyes automatically followed the movement of the fabric, lingering on the bared skin. Hux had to fight a smile again, despite the worsening pain behind his temples.

"You look tired", Ren said, his voice interestingly rough. "Take the whole day off, we've done enough here. Wouldn't want you collapsing on the bridge."

"I do not _collapse",_ Hux growled, but he had to admit he was exhausted. It wasn't just the hangover and the headache; he'd been sleeping badly recently, too stressed about his position and too worried about his growing feelings for Ren to able to relax. Suppose he could rest for a day, if the Supreme Leader himself ordered it.

"Seriously, Hux, do I need to carry you to bed?" Ren asked, and Hux had to bite his lip not to gasp, _"Please do."_ Doubtless Ren said it like that on purpose. Bastard.

"I'm going, I'm going", he grumbled and rose, slightly unsteady on his feet. He took his datapad with him, determined to at least do the paperwork even if he had to be horizontal.

He felt Ren's eyes follow the short hem of his robe as he walked past him, and proudly resisted the urge to sway his hips.

"Get some sleep", Ren ordered softly, rising as well and making his way to the door, "and thanks. I'd be a bit lost with all this without you." It was unusual to hear him speaking so frankly of his own failings. Hux didn't know quite how to react.

"You'd burn the whole Order to the ground within a week", Hux laughed, untying his robe and beginning to shrug it off. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Ren stealing a guilty glance at his bared shoulders.

"Night, Ren", Hux said, and Ren startled, finally opened the door and left. The rooms felt bizarrely quiet in his wake.

Hux washed two painkillers down with a glass of cold water and then collapsed on his bed. There were a million forms he needed to fill, a million reports to read, but for a little while he just lay there, hiding his smile in the pillow. It seemed his plan was working to a satisfactory degree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Could you tell I'm just a little bit salty at Pryde? :'D


	3. Bravery

Hux's strategy was working, but not as quickly as he would've liked.

He refrained from wearing any more silk while in Ren's presence, but just the once had been enough. Ren was _looking_ at him now; no matter whether they were on the command deck, in the mess hall, or in a meeting, Hux could always feel Ren's eyes on him. Assessing, weighing his options. Hux was no mind reader like Ren, but he could see Ren's thoughts on his face as clearly as if he'd heard him say them out loud.

Ren wanted Hux, bad, but hadn’t decided what to do about it. His gaze was practically glued on Hux's arse whenever he wasn't wearing his greatcoat, and even a flash of a bare wrist between a sleeve and a glove seemed to draw his eye like a magnet. Ren no longer seemed as flustered around Hux as he had during the robe episode, but there was sometimes a light blush on him when Hux caught him looking.

Doubtless Ren was suspicious of him, wondering whether this was a ploy to get him to lower his guard and then strike at him when he was vulnerable. Hux had weighed that option as well, of course he had, but ultimately it wasn’t what he wanted. It was telling that when he noticed Ren making as many excuses to be near Hux as Hux was to be near him, it made him feel giddy and nervous like a schoolboy with a crush.

Ren was probably also reading his mind whenever he felt like it. It was rude and selfish and one of his worst qualities, but in this case Hux didn’t mind. He had no plans for usurping Ren and made no efforts to hide any of his thoughts around him. If Ren happened to hear them and they happened to be dirty enough to appeal to him… well. Hux couldn’t say it bothered him all that much.

If it were up to Hux, he'd already have invited Ren to his quarters at night, and if he’d seemed willing, thrown him onto the bed and ridden him until neither of them could walk. After observing him for some time, it even seemed that if it were up to Ren, he would gladly have let Hux do it. It was ridiculous, really, how two of some of the most powerful people in the galaxy could be so thoroughly kept apart by mere circumstance.

Hux had his duties as a military leader, his meetings with the other generals, overseeing the development of the Stormtrooper program with General Parnadee, and endless arguments with Pryde over every little decision made aboard the Steadfast. Ren, for his part, had his own duties as the Supreme Leader, which he was starting to take a little more seriously with Hux's help. Besides that and his rigorous training schedule, he didn't have much free time to begin with. What little space for leisure he had, Hux would've preferred they spend in bed.

It just wasn't possible now, because suddenly all of Ren's free time was taken up by the arrival of his knights.

The first two to show up were the ones from Jarif’s ship. Hux met them briefly upon their arrival, welcoming them and informing them of the quarters assigned to them and of the training areas and mess halls they were advised to use. With their masks in place and voice distortion technology in use, Hux could say nothing of their age or even species, though he was reasonably sure they both sounded female.

Ren was quick to collect them, and they seemed happy to be in his presence after a long separation. Hux saw them occasionally in the following days, going to and from the training area, Ren's quarters and their own. He went about his own duties and mostly paid them no mind.

After the first two, the other four dropped in one by one, coming from who knows which corners of the galaxy and after who knows what kind of missions. When all seven of them were finally together, they seemed to form a bizarre kind of family: tightly knit together but constantly fighting and teasing each other. The contrast between their easy camaraderie with each other and the fear they put into the crew of the Steadfast was startling. Hux wasn't intimidated like most others, even though he knew any one of the knights could easily have bested him in a fight. He was used to Ren's tantrums, and in comparison the other knights seemed almost civil.

Hux wasn't overly fond of them, and he was rather angry they took all of the valuable time he could've used getting closer to Ren. Still, it was what it was, and he couldn't just kick them off the ship, since they were there for a reason. There was a silver lining, though: Pryde despised them much more than Hux did. It always brought a smile to his face, seeing Pryde bristle whenever a Knight pushed rudely past him or refused to use the correct titles when addressing him. On principle, if something annoyed Pryde, Hux was ready to welcome it with open arms.

Fear was a more common reaction to the knights than annoyance or long-suffering tolerance. Though Ren no longer wore his helmet, the others were never seen without theirs. It added an element of mystery to their scariness, and Hux rather enjoyed the rumours of what the knights looked like under the helmets. The general consensus among the gossipers was that at least two of the knights weren’t human, though no-one knew for sure which ones. Some were afraid the knights might start murdering people at random because apparently 'They just are like that', while others were certain the knights were freaks and were aboard the Steadfast for a ritualistic orgy or some other scandalous shenanigans.

The truth was they _were_ here for a ritual, though it was rather innocent in nature compared to the wild rumours.

"Basically we just sit in a circle and listen to the Force", Ren explained to Hux one evening he'd managed to slip both work and Force-related duties for a much-needed moment of peace. Ren sat down on the couch and Hux followed him, setting two glasses and a bottle of wine on the table.

"No orgies?" he couldn't help inquiring.

"No", Ren snapped. "I hate it when people gossip about things they know nothing about."

"What exactly is it you're trying to hear, then?" Hux didn't keep the annoyance from his voice even as he poured Ren a glass of wine and watched him take it, sipping inquisitively. For someone so in tune with all things dark and evil, Ren could be strangely prudish, and defensive about it.

"There's a disturbance in the Force, we all felt it", Ren explained. "The scales are tipping towards the dark, which objectively is a good thing for us."

Hux sipped his wine and made a sound indicating Ren should go on.

"Trouble is, we have no idea what the fuck is causing it." Ren actually looked spooked, and though Hux didn't know much about the Force, he felt like he should be worried. Ren was usually the scariest thing in the room, and hadn't really feared anything other than Snoke, who he'd eventually killed. If there was something that could make him so uneasy… 

"Some of us have heard… whispers", Ren said. "Like a call. They're being lured somewhere in the unknown regions, but it'd be too dangerous to follow the call alone."

"So you're trying to find out where it's coming from?" 

Ren nodded. "Doing it together, all seven of us, makes us see clearer. The circle, and our connection, works like an amplifier."

"This all sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me", Hux admitted, but continued before Ren could start yelling at him, "But it seems like you're truly worried. Please keep me updated on what you find."

"Sure", Ren nodded, finishing his wine. He looked like he was about to get up and leave, so Hux reached out to pour him another glass. Ren huffed, but settled back into the couch and turned the conversation to more mundane topics.

They spoke about the future of the Order, scheming and plotting half-seriously, and bickering as they always had. Ren was a slob and a child and a terrible Supreme Leader, and Hux was stuck up and foolish and weak, and so on. They'd say all these hurtful things and mean them and get angry at each other, but there was an even ground beneath them now, and eventually they always calmed down and returned to their truce.

This cycle was easy to understand even if it was a little dysfunctional, but there was also an undercurrent of _want_ now, and it permeated everything from the way they looked at each other to the way they sat on this couch, close but not touching, turned towards each other.

At some point the bottle had emptied and they'd opened another, Ren amusing himself and exasperating Hux by performing the task entirely by the Force. Even tipsy, he had impeccable control, and Hux hummed appreciatively as he plucked his glass seemingly from the air and watched the bottle tilt and pour without Ren needing to touch it at all.

"Show-off", Hux mocked and Ren kicked him in the shin. He looked so petulant Hux had to laugh, and that earned him another kick, better-aimed but no harder than the first one. 

The alcohol made Hux feel hot, his cheeks reddening. He felt a bead of sweat sliding down his back under all the layers of clothes. It was uncomfortable, but that was easily remedied.

"Slow down a little", Ren laughed as Hux struggled his way out of his uniform jacket. He abandoned it on the floor next to the couch and rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows.

Ren watched him, hungry like he always was, but averted his gaze when he noticed Hux was looking. Hux bit his lip and spoke, though he knew he probably shouldn't have.

"Don't do that", he whispered, "I like it when you look."

Ren made a choking sound. "You're drunk."

"Not drunk enough to say things I don't mean."

Ren's cheeks were as red as Hux's now.

"You're the last person on this ship I should be looking at", he hissed. Hux had to smile at the admission.

"And yet, here we are."

"Here we are." Ren raised his glass like in a toast and drank deeply, his throat moving. Hux watched him, those dark eyes meeting his, those pretty lips red with wine.

Ren held his gaze, and Hux felt simultaneously like a cornered Cracian thumper in the headlights of a speeder, and a Condor dragon stalking its prey. He'd planned this, he'd wanted to get to this point, but now that Ren was right here and Hux was looking straight at him, aware of how Ren could feel and see his desire and his need… He couldn't decide whether to lean forward and pull him into a desperate kiss, or whether to scramble back and run away.

It had been a long time since he’d last made advances like this toward someone, and longer still since it had actually mattered to him. He hadn't meant for this to really matter either, but it did, and now he didn't know what to do with himself.

“I seem to find myself somewhat stuck”, he confessed quietly, a wry smile quirking his lips.

“You threw yourself headlong into something and ended up getting lost?” Ren asked, holding his gaze. “Isn’t that more my thing?”

Hux huffed out a laugh, relaxing a bit. They hadn’t drunk that much, but the wine warmed him from the inside, and he let it make him feel a little bit reckless. Shifting closer, until his knee pressed against Ren’s thigh, he sighed and steeled himself, leaning close. Ren looked startled at the sudden movement, but he didn’t shrug Hux off as he laid a hand on his cheek, feeling the smooth warm skin.

“Feeling brave?” Ren whispered, watching Hux with half lidded eyes, tilting his head to lean into the hand that was now caressing him gently, carefully.

“Not very”, Hux answered, feeling like Ren could probably hear the frantic beating of his heart. “Please don't consider this workplace harassment.”

Ren laughed, the corners of his eyes creasing and his beautiful mouth stretching into a grin, and Hux couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He moved those last few inches and kissed away the sound of Ren’s laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for ending it there! The next chapter will be a little more action-heavy, in more ways than one ;)  
> Please let me know what you think of this so far! Hearing from you means a lot. <3


End file.
